Just then the sitting room door opened and Fitz came in. She was dressed simply and was wearing considerably less makeup that was usual forher.
“You wished to see me?” she asked as she came up toSusan.
“Oh, yes. Are you free to chat?” Susanasked.
“Of course. Your wish is my command,” sheanswered.
Susan was unsure how to take that comment. Was she being sarcastic? But she chose not to read anything intoit.
“Let’s find a quieter place totalk.”
Susan led Fitz to an adjoining sitting room and they sat by thefire.
Susan watched Fitz carefully. This was going to be a defining moment in their relationship. If the old, catty Fitz was still evident she didn’t see how she could accept Fitz as a teacher for the school, no matter how much Simon might desireit.
“First, I haven’t had the opportunity to congratulate you on your engagement,” Susansaid.
Fitz smiled simply. “Thank you, Susan, that means a lot to me—especially coming from Simon’s ex-fiancé.”
“We are to be familynow.”
Fitz lowered her eyes, and said, “I want to apologize toyou.”
“Forwhat?”
“I saw you at first as a rival. There was a time when I hoped that His Grace and I might develop a romantic attachment. But he let it be known that was not tobe.”
“So you went after Simon,” Susan said a littleunkindly.
“I know it must seem like that. But that is not the case. I was hesitant to pursue him, even though I found him to be mostsympathetic.”
“Oh, Fitz, I saw you flirting openly with him as soon as he recovered from hisillness.”
She nodded. “Yes, I admit to that, but only because he so clearly encouragedit.”
“And you are sincere in your affections to him?” Susanasked.
Fitz sighed and teared up. “My dear Susan, I know it must be difficult for you to believe me. I’ve not treated you well. But dear Simon has touched me in a way no other man ever has. He sees me as I really am. Not the brass and brazen society hanger-on that you’ve seen, but the frightened little girl holding on to any shred of security she might latch onto.
“Susan, I have no family. And I’ve had to fight my way up the social ladder, trading upon tenuous connections and begging favors just to survive—with the hope of one day finding a home. And Simon has finally offered me that home. Please don’t judge me tooharshly.”
That gave Susan a great deal to think about. How quickly one could rush to judgment she realized. She could see she was fully capable of just such judgmentherself.
“Thank you for telling me that. It can’t have been easy for you,” Susan said. “From now on I’ll endeavor to see you for who you are as well. Forgive me if I’ve beenjudgmental.”
“And forgive me for treating you unkindly when we first met,” Fitzsaid.
Susan felt it was time to get down to the business at hand. “Well then, Simon tells me you wish to teach at our school. Is thatso?”
“Yes, I long to be an accepted and valuable part of this family. I wish to help in any way I can. And it seems like the school would be the best way for me to dothat.”
“But do you have any experience with teaching—or dealing withchildren?”
Fitz shook her head. “I don’t. I know that might preclude me from participating, but if there’s any way you could see to include me in your project I’d be mostgrateful.”
“I’ll need to think about it. But why teaching? Simon is to be Headmaster and, as his wife, you’ll be intimately involved with his work at the school. Wouldn’t that beenough?”
“I do want to support him in all of his endeavors, but I also want my own responsibilities. Simon tells me you’re to introduce new methods of teaching. Might I not train under you and apply your principles as youdirect?”
